Condition
Heel Fissures
What Are Heel Fissures?
Heel fissures, commonly referred to as cracked heels, are a simple problem that could lead to severe medical issues in future if left untreated. The fissures occur when the skin around the heel develops to become hard, dry and cannot stretch so therefore cracks instead. In some cases, the cracks are deep so can be painful and bleed.
Causes
The most common causes of heel fissures include:
- Dry skin for any reason
- Conditions such as diabetes which dry the skin
- Dermatitis, psoriasis and other medical conditions
- Regularly walking barefoot
- Inactive sweat glands
- Regularly wearing open backed shoes as they provide no support to hold the fat pad under the foot
- Dry climate
- Excessive weight
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of heel fissures include but are not limited to:
- Dry Skin
- Hard Skin
- Cracks, sometimes deep
- Heel bleeding
- Pain on weight bearing
- Calluses
Treatments
Treatments for heel fissures include but are not limited to:
- Oil based moisturising creams
- Ensuring hard skin is removed
- Wearing shoes with strong shock absorption
- Not walking barefoot
